Daily Journal: 12 August

Transparent Carriers

of His Grace

What is purpose in life about? Where does it begin?

We often think God's purpose for us is what we do.

We are saved so that He can then produce a good work in us. But what is that work?

Firstly, where should our focus be? On Him, or ourselves? Our first purpose, every day, is to carry a heart that pleases God, and to seek Him.

John 6:28-29 (NLT)

They replied, “We want to perform God’s works, too. What should we do?”

Jesus told them, “This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent.”

If we believe in the one God sent, His son Jesus Christ, we follow His ways.

Micah 6:8 (GWT)

You mortals, the Lord has told you what is good. This is what the Lord requires from you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to live humbly with your God.

We show His refinement when we are surrendered and intent on doing what He requires. We are to be carriers of His grace in all things.

His grace has been gifted to us to show His handiwork in us.

Romans 12:18 (GWT)

As much as it is possible, live in peace with everyone.

As far as it depends on you and me, living at peace with all people, we choose to turn offense into forgiveness. We choose to reconcile wherever possible because Jesus came to reconcile.

2 Corinthians 5:19 (CEB)

In other words, God was reconciling the world to himself through Christ, by not counting people’s sins against them. He has trusted us with this message of reconciliation.

Left on our own, our thoughts can turn sour. We ruminate and fester over slights and grievances. But being a transparent carrier of His grace, we resolve to handle our thoughts and emotions in a way that glorifies Him.

2 Corinthians 10:5 (NIV)

We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

When we let the fruits of the Spirit ferment in us, sit in us and resonate, the grace of Christ is produced in us.

Galatians 5:22-25 (NLV)

But the fruit that comes from having the Holy Spirit in our lives is: love, joy, peace, not giving up, being kind, being good, having faith, being gentle, and being the boss over our own desires. The Law is not against these things. Those of us who belong to Christ have nailed our sinful old selves on His cross. Our sinful desires are now dead. If the Holy Spirit is living in us, let us be led by Him in all things.

If we become transparent carriers of His grace, this is strength through gentleness and compassion at work in us. We willingly extend ourselves to inconvenience and hard conversations that ensure peace and safety in relationship. If we are willing carriers of His grace we willingly desire to live in reconciliation and peace with each other.

Galatians 5:4-5 (NIV)

You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope.

We are called and fit for a purpose, to produce righteousness, unhindered by anything from this world that leaves us for dead. Saved, to complete the good things He created in advance for us to do.

Ephesians 2:1-2b, 4-5,10 (NCV)

In the past you were spiritually dead because of your sins and the things you did against God. Yes, in the past you lived the way the world lives.... But God’s mercy is great, and he loved us very much. Though we were spiritually dead because of the things we did against God, he gave us new life with Christ. You have been saved by God’s grace....God has made us what we are. In Christ Jesus, God made us to do good works, which God planned in advance for us to live our lives doing.